


Giving Up The Ghost

by EmAndFandems



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Grief/Mourning, I Made Myself Cry, Lost Love, M/M, Moving On
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 14:36:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21101081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmAndFandems/pseuds/EmAndFandems
Summary: Klaus is doing his best to summon Dave. Diego stages an intervention.





	Giving Up The Ghost

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn't really fit into the canon timeline at all, but it's vaguely meant to be an alternate version of the Day That Wasn't.

Diego’s worried about Klaus. Klaus can tell; it’s in the little glances when Diego doesn’t think he’s looking, the nearly-imperceptible increased softness in his voice.

It doesn’t stop Klaus, though. He’s got to do it. Anything. Whatever it takes to get sober, to get straightened out, to get what he needs. He’ll chew gum or learn to knit or whatever, all day long if it gets him to—

Diego knocks on Klaus’ door and Klaus startles, dropping his ball of yarn. He groans, watching it roll away. “What is it?”

It’s not unlike Diego to trip over his words, but this is an uncharacteristic hesitancy. Finally he says, “Can we talk?”

Klaus raises his eyes to the ceiling and crosses his arms. “Pretty sure I can’t stop you.”

“It’s great that you’re trying to get clean. Obviously. But…” Diego pauses. The rawness of the wound is not inviting to the touch. “He’s gone, Klaus.”

Klaus shakes his head, hard. Hugs himself a little tighter. “You said it yourself, it’s  _ different _ for me. I can— I can still...”

He swallows the rest of the sentence down. He knows what he has to do. If he’s honest with himself, he’s known for a while. Klaus closes his eyes and sniffs. “Yeah. Yeah, fine. You mind?”

Diego pats Klaus’ shoulder on his way out.

The room is hushed for a moment but then Klaus opens his eyes and he’s there, finally, he’s right there.  _ Dave. _ Klaus might say it aloud, might breathe it out as he breathes him in.

“Hey, Klaus,” says Dave, quiet and still and perfect, absolutely.

“Don’t move. Don’t go anywhere,” Klaus says. He stands from the bed and takes a step in his direction. One shaky hand stretches toward Dave and one silent prayer extends toward little girls on bicycles. “C’mon, please…”

His hand lands solidly in Dave’s. Klaus exhales. And then he can’t remember how to breathe anymore, because he’s holding onto Dave, and Dave is holding onto him. And he’s  _ right here. _

“I don’t want to,” he blurts, but he makes the mistake of looking Dave in the eyes as he says it. They both know, without any more words, what they’re doing here.

“Klaus,” Dave says again, and he’s so tender with him, even his name; he’s so good to him. “I died. Fifty years ago.”

“Not to me,” Klaus says fiercely, holding Dave’s hand so tightly it hurts. Dave doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t say a thing. He just gives Klaus exactly the smile to break his resolve, sad and sweet and he can’t resist; he never could deny Dave anything. Dave is still waiting.

Klaus draws in a deep breath as slowly as he can, drawing out the moment, clinging to the seconds he still has. Then: “Okay,” he says, setting a hand to Dave’s face and closing his eyes. “Oka—”

He’s cut off by Dave, pulling him in for a kiss, sharing one last breath together. Letting go. Saying goodbye. Klaus trembles. When he opens his eyes, he’s alone.

The hand that was holding Dave shakes in its emptiness before coming to cover Klaus’ mouth, to catch the sob before it escapes. Klaus folds in half, crumpling to the ground, one arm around his knees to hold himself together as he falls apart.

He’s not sure how long Diego waits outside before coming back. All he knows is that eventually, there’s someone to lean against as he cries, as he loses Dave all over again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting TUA content so please let me know what you thought! Your comments fuel me!


End file.
